


Avengers Initiative: Magic

by Entwinedlove



Series: Of Might and Magic [19]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Blind Date, F/M, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-02
Updated: 2019-06-02
Packaged: 2020-04-06 09:38:10
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,000
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19060036
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Entwinedlove/pseuds/Entwinedlove
Summary: A blind date turns out a little differently than Regulus expects.





	Avengers Initiative: Magic

**Author's Note:**

> Written for Marvelously Magical Fanfiction's May Roll-a-Drabble  
> Prompt: Regulus Black, Nick Fury, Blind Date

[ ](https://imgur.com/PeWCWHW)

M seeking W. Casual. Reggie Black. 50. British Ex-Pat. Dark hair, light eyes, tall, lean build. Bad scarring on left arm.

Re: M seeking W. Casual. Reggie...  
Hi, I'm Natasha. 27. Redhead. In-shape. I like scars; got a few of my own. You interested?

And that's how Regulus had met Natasha. They'd had a bit of fun, and he thought that would be the end of it. But then she'd programmed her number in his mobile and just... stuck around. He didn't know if she could sense how lonely he was or thought he needed a friend. He couldn't deny it. He'd been alone since he ran from everything and everyone he'd known because he'd been scared of the Dark Lord.

He'd heard that the man had been vanquished twice—once in '81 and again in '98—and he thought about going back but his life was here now. He worked from home. Had a little rooftop garden and sold potions of middling quality. Sometimes he patented spells by mail. It was a lonely existence, hence his searching for company in an unusual manner. He didn't have the smooth confidence his brother had, where he could pick up any woman he wanted in a pub, but the ads were easy enough. He'd only had to Obliviate one or two of them over the years.

He thought he was going to have to Obliviate Natasha once because, after a long movie and platonic cuddling on the couch, she'd spotted his wand. "What's this?" she had asked, picking it up to examine it from where he'd been stupid and left it on the coffee table in plain view.

Thinking fast, Regulus had said, "You know how some people have lucky rabbit's feet? That's my lucky stick. It's a strange little quirk, I know, but it's got me through some tough times."

"Huh," she had said, curiosity apparently satisfied. She had let her fingers glide down the shaft and then set it back where she found it. Nothing more had been said about it.

After another six months, about the time Regulus would start seeking female companionship again, Natasha asked if he was interested in going on a blind date with one of her friends. He didn't find anything questionable about that. They hadn't had sex since that first night, and he counted her as a good friend at this point.

So here he was, sitting in a secluded corner of an upscale restaurant with a foul-tasting glass of wine in front of him, waiting for his date. He was a little nervous as he'd never really properly dated anyone before, but he was confident that Natasha would have some idea of what he liked.

A tall, bald black man sat in the chair opposite. He wore a black trenchcoat and an eyepatch. Despite Regulus's many years living on the fringes of Muggle culture, his first thought was that the man must have lost his eye to Dark Magic. His next thought, he voiced. "Umm, sorry, but I'm waiting for my blind date, Nicki. I don't want her to think I stood her up because the table has two occupants."

The man grinned and shook his head. "Hate to disappoint you but I'm Nick. Nick Fury."

Regulus felt his brain stutter for a minute. Was this man having a go at him? Was this an elaborate prank Natasha had set up? "Sorry?" he asked, still a little flabbergasted.

"I see Natasha didn't tell you who exactly you'd be meeting. I'm the Director of SHIELD. I'm looking for talented men and women to join an Initiative."

"An Initiative?"

"In case of super-human or extra-terrestrial threats."

Regulus shifted a little in his chair, wondering how much this man knew and how he could get out of this incredibly awkward situation. "What makes you think I'm talented? I'm just a gardener."

"I think that lucky stick of yours is more than just lucky. You any good with it?" Nick asked, raising the eyebrow over his good eye.

He knew. Regulus didn't know how much he knew, didn't know if somehow his past had come to light somehow, but this man knew he was magical. That made him dangerous. "Deadly," Regulus said in response. He hadn't killed in decades and hadn't particularly enjoyed it like his fellow Death Eater brethren, but he was capable.

"Good," Nick said. He reached for the open wine bottle, poured himself a glass and took a swig. "You'll be working with Agent Romanov"—at this, he must have seen Regulus's brow pinch—"Natasha. We've got another agent coming in from the British branch of SHIELD. Goes by the name Granger. She's talented—like you—and will probably be your permanent partner if you accept."

"So you just hire random wizards without knowing their pasts? Their credentials?"

Nick snorted. "Hardly." He swallowed down the rest of the wine in his glass. "We know everything about you. Former Death Eater past, estranged heir to a sizable fortune and family name. Natasha reaching out to you was the last step in the vetting process."

Regulus was distinctly uncomfortable now. He knew a threat of exposure when he heard one. "And if I say no? I don't want to join your little merry band of—whatevers. I've had my taste of madmen. I bow to no master now."

The other man shrugged. "Suit yourself, but if I were you, I'd give it some thought before making a decision." He stood up and pulled a business card from an inner coat pocket. It made a little _whuff_ sound as he snapped it to the table. He tapped the card, nodded, and walked away.

Regulus dared not slump in his chair, though he wanted to. What sort of crazy idiot was he to even be thinking about this? He picked up the card, swallowed down the swill in his glass, and called the waiter for the check.

He knew what sort of idiot he was.

A lonely one.


End file.
